Young man with severe autism to remain in specialist UK unit

A young man with severe autism is to remain in a specialist unit in Britain until next year after the HSE reversed a plan to return him to Ireland.

The question of the young man's return, which has been before the High Court since July, was due to go to trial on Thursday. The HSE had opposed his parents' wish that he remain in the British unit to complete an access-college course.

Last week Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon suggested it would make “a lot more sense” for the HSE to continue funding the young man’s placement in the British unit than fund a legal team to oppose the plan. Returning him to Ireland for a second time, without an adequate after-care plan, would be “catastrophic”, she said.

The man (19) was placed by order of the High Court in a secure unit in Britain in early 2013. In January 2014, aged 17, he came under the care of the Child and Family Agency, which paid for his care in the UK.

He passed into the care of the HSE after turning 18, which has since footed the bill for his care at a cost of £170,000 (€203,580) per year. The man was assessed as being unable to live independently and transitioned to a less secure unit in 2014 and had been attending a local college.

Supports

He was returned to Ireland on October 30th, and the HSE told the court an after-care plan, including an apartment rented for him and 30 hours’ per week supports, would be provided. This later fell through and he was returned to the family home, where he deteriorated rapidly.

Conor Dignam, SC, for the HSE, told the court on Thursday the executive would fund his placement "until May or June" next year, and put in place an after-care plan for his phased return.

John Rogers SC, for the man’s mother, said “it seems the reason we have this development is because the case was to be tried”.

Mr Dignam said he could not concede that "this has only come about because it was to be tried".